Dragons: The Nine Realms
Fun, modern-set Dragons spin-off has high-flying adventure.
Dragons: The Nine Realms
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Dragons: The Nine Realms is a TV spin-off of the How to Train Your Dragon franchise. The show's high stakes adventures make this Dragons iteration too scary for preschoolers, but great for slightly older dragon fans. This is because while everything always turns out okay, there are multiple near-death experiences per episode. The dragons ultimately turn out to be friendly, but they do show some aggression at times. Otherwise, there's a bit of mild teenage flirtation and mild language, but no other iffy content. Some parents may not appreciate lead character Tom's mischievous streak -- a lot of the adventures occur after Tom has disobeyed an adult authority figure. He does face some consequences, but it's pretty clear that there would be no dragon awesomeness if Tom followed the rules.
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What's the Story?
In DRAGONS: THE NINE REALMS, it's 1300 years after How to Train Your Dragon and dragons are nothing but a legend. A comet has opened up a mysterious miles-deep fissure and scientist Dr. Olivia Kullerson (Julia Stiles) is headed to a remote research facility to study the phenomenon. She brings her rebellious and adventurous teenaged son Tom along to the research station. There, Tom joins 3 other staff members' kids: tarot-card reading Jun Wong, shy bookworm Alex Gonzalez, and D'Angelo Baker. The teens are supposed to focus on schoolwork and avoid the super secret restricted areas of the station... but Tom has other ideas. He catches a glimpse of something flying in the fissure and decides to go investigate. He finds a dragon, which opens up a while new world to him and his friends. They each befriend a dragon, and each other, as they try to keep their secret safe from the adults all around them.
Is It Any Good?
It's tempting to wonder if the world really needed another spinoff of the How to Train Your Dragon franchise, but this series is actually super fun for kids and grown-ups alike. Dragons: The Nine Realms has a great mixture of awesome dragon scenes, teenage friendships, and scientific mystery. Kids will love lead character Tom and his brave, curious persona (though grown-ups may wish he listened to adults a bit more). The rest of his friends are interesting characters that kids will identify with, and they'll also love the unique dragons they befriend. Like the rest of the Dragons world, the stunning animation and scenery in Nine Realms really bring the fantastical beasts to life. Families who enjoyed the original movies will have a great time watching this series together.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Tom's mischievous behavior -- is it okay that he doesn't listen to adults and sometimes lies? Does it matter that something good (discovering the dragons) came out of his mischievous behavior?
What would you do if you discovered dragons? What do you think would be the most fun or most hard part about being around dragons?
TV Details
- Premiere date: December 23, 2021
- Cast: Julia Stiles, Keston John, Ashley Liao, Marcus Scribner
- Networks: Hulu, Peacock
- Genre: Kids' Animation
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Adventures, Friendship
- TV rating: TV-G
- Award: Common Sense Selection
- Last updated: February 28, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
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How to Train Your Dragon
Thrilling adventure sends brains-over-brawn message.
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How to Train Your Dragon 2
Epic, thrilling 3D adventure sequel is outstanding.
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How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
Family-friendly threequel has peril, bloodless battles.
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How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming
Heartwarming short film adds charm to movie trilogy tale.
For kids who love adventure
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